The people of Effium and their Ezza Effium neighbours in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State have been engulfed in crisis since 2021 leading to the loss of lives and destruction of property worth billions of naira.
The genesis of the crisis could be traced to leadership tussle between two factions of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in one of the motor parks in one of the communities. The crisis took a dangerous dimension with many killed and wanton destruction of property.
The crisis snowballed into dangerous dimensions with regular killings, arson, and loss of lives and destruction of property visited on the community. Efforts were made by the past administration in the state to end the war but to no avail. The communities have become ghost towns, with residents fleeing in their numbers from the area.
The bloodletting and total devastation of the communities, led to security agencies embarking on a massive arrest and detention of some of the residents and persons suspected to be involved in the mayhem. Many of the arrested suspects were detained at the Abakaliki Correctional Centre without trial for up to four years.
When Governor Francis Nwifuru took over the rein of government from former Governor Dave Umahi in May 2023, he inherited the crisis.
Bent on finding solution to the lingering crisis that has left the communities in ruins and pains, with a number of their people in incarceration, with no one certain of their fate four years after, he set up a peace panel headed by retired Catholic Bishop Dr Michael Nnachi Okoro. At the conclusion of sittings, the panel submitted its recommendations to the government, who subsequently issued a White Paper after the warring communities signed peace pact.
159 detainees
Tuesday February 11, 2025, would remain evergreen in the memories of the people of the communities. The day signalled the granting of amnesty to 159 pre-trial detainees from the Effium and Ezza Effium communal crisis.
Nwifuru, who announced the release of the detainees, said that those to benefit from the amnesty were those whose offences were connected to the Effium and Ezza Effium crisis. He said that the granting of amnesty to the detainees was a strategy to ensure, ‘‘lasting peace among the warring parties. “Amnesty is a beginning of a new chapter, it is a call to lay down arms, the state government will continue to support you.
The 159 detainees have been detained at the Abakaliki Correctional Service for four years, for their alleged involvement in the crisis.” The governor further disclosed that the crisis that engulfed Effium and Ezza Effium communities have caused pain and division among the people.
Noting, “The granting of amnesty to the detainees was part of the recommendations of the seven-man committee set up by the state government to look into the matter. ‘‘Today marks a day of reflection, we are reminded of the enduring spirit of peace and unity that binds us.
The detainees to benefit from the amnesty are those whose alleged offences are connected to the Effium and Ezza Effium crisis. “I stand before you to grant amnesty to 159 pre-trial detainees, who have been held in the Correctional Centre over the Effium and Ezza Effium crisis. “We set up a seven-man committee headed by the Emeritus Catholic Bishop of Abakaliki Dr Michael Okoro that worked tirelessly to uncover the root cause of the crisis.
Prison congestion
On the occasion, Ebonyi State Controller of Nigerian Correctional Service, Mrs Offem Bessie, brought to light some of the problems of Abakaliki Correctional Centre, with that of congestion topping the list. She, therefore, used the occasion to call on the federal government to expedite action in decongesting the Centre.
According to her, “The Custodial Centre which was built in the year 1949 to accommodate 387inmates currently houses 1,323 inmates, thereby posing serious security threat to the state, which could lead to riot and jail-break.
“The decongestion of Medium Security Custodial Centre Abakaliki, has become a matter of urgent security concern. I assumed duty as the new State Controller on the 19th day of December 2024 and was briefed on the unprecedented goodwill and support which Ebony State government has been showering on the Nigerian Correctional Service.
“The Nigerian Correctional Service being the most sensitive agency within the security architecture of the State, is highly dynamic in all her mode of operations.” On his part, the Commissioner of Police Ebonyi State Command, Mrs Anthonia Adaku Uche Anya, lauded Nwifuru for the initiative in granting amnesty to the detainees.
“Today we are witnessing the benevolence of Governor Nwifuru in granting amnesty to the detainees and equally offering rehabilitation,’’ he noted. Following this development, he charged the freed detainees and the communities to embrace the kind gesture of the governor in making something good out of their lives going forward, saying, “I urge the people of Effium and Ezza Effium to embrace in its totality, take advantage of this gesture, and follow good processes in ventilating your anger.”
Reintegration
Meanwhile, the Ebonyi State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr Ben Uruchi Odoh, disclosed on the day that the state government would invest in the infrastructure and educational development of the war-torn communities.
“Today’s event is a testament of our belief that brighter future is possible, the Peace Implementation committee headed by Ambassador Franklin Ogbuewu per- formed a marvellous job,” he noted as he commended the Peace Implementation Committee for a good job done.
He said that the granting of the amnesty by Nwifuru was in exercise of his Constitutional powers. The Commissioner maintained that the amnesty was contained in the White Paper the State Executive Council approved and consequently set up a committee to implement it.
Effium
History has that Effium is the largest autonomous Igbo community in Ebonyi State, with the indigenous people known as Effium. It shares common boundaries with Izzi, Ngbo, Uli and Igumale. It is also recorded that the first tribe that settled in Effium were the Effium people who then later accommodated the Ezza people and followed by Arochukwu, Amuda and others.
The major occupation of the people is said to be farming, with trading and other businesses thrown into the mix. The major agricultural produce of the people include yam, cassava, rice, groundnut, palm oil and timbers.
The community is said to harbour other minor communities known as Okporo, Okpodum, Okpere, Ivweda, Ebia, Watuma, Ogbagere, Ikachi, Ohage, Enweminyi, Ubegu, Okpudu, Uffiacha, Ibilifu, and Lebadogom communities. One of the major festivals celebrated yearly by the people is the New Yam Festival, known as Kija S’etuo. Others include Vwujojo and Vwugba. It has a very popular market known as Effium Main Market, which attracts many traders and buyers from across the eastern region of the country and above.
Ezza
History has it that Ezza people are geographically located in three senatorial zones of Ebonyi State, namely; Ezza North, Ezza South, Onicha, Ishielu, and Ohaukwu LGAs while the ancestral headquarters of the people is Onueke, which is also the headquarters of Ebonyi South Local Government Area.
They are said to the descendants of Anakiwha, the progenitor of Umuekumeyi. Ezekuna and his wife, Anyigo, are considered the parents of the Ezza. They are also traditionally farmers and traders, rich in a number of farm produce such as cassava, garri, yam and palm oil. Their main market is known as the Eke Imoha Market, which is located in Onueke.
